


The Final Moment

by ApocalypticRepo



Category: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-07
Updated: 2014-08-07
Packaged: 2018-02-12 03:52:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2094657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApocalypticRepo/pseuds/ApocalypticRepo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their sanctuaries were falling all over Tamriel and the traitor in their midst brought the soldiers to the Statue of the Lucky Lady, the Night Mother's Crypt. Mahariel listened as they slowly moved the destroyed statue from the entrance, her eyes falling to her frightened daughter. She knew what she had to do.</p><p>Takes place before In Sweat and Blood but can be read on its own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Final Moment

We could hear them rustling the stone remains of the statue above us, hurrying as to not give us the chance to escape. It was only a matter of time after news from Bruma that the Sanctuary there was destroyed, no survivors. It was only a matter of time before they came to Bravil in search of the Night Mother: the patron of the Dark Brotherhood. I was no fool while others were content to believe She would never be found. I didn't have the time for a 'I told you so' for their negligence barely gave us enough time to _possibly_ get the Night Mother out unharmed. There was no telling if  _we_ could get out unharmed.

Alisanne Dupre stood beside me, having served as my decoy for many years, letting the new recruits believe that Alisanne was the Listener to prevent that tragedy that was caused by my hand and the trick of a besotted and vengeful Speaker. There were very few that I knew I was the true Listener, except for Alisanne and the one thing that mattered to me more than life itself: my beloved daughter Thorain who stood not far from myself and Alisanne. "We're running out of time," Alisanne said quietly. "They're almost to the entrance."

I nodded looking back at the two assassins sent with us by the Cheydinhal Sanctuary, Thorain's Sanctuary and my own for nearly 200 years. I had seen many come and go, the only ones lasting long enough and staying alive long enough was Garnag and Andronica who were currently working the great stone coffin of the Night Mother from its resting place. "How much longer do you think you'll need?" I asked the two.

Garnag, the strong Orc, shook his head. "An hour?"

"We don't have that kind of time. You've got maybe 5 minutes," Alisanne interjected. I could tell she was scared. The Night Mother was their priority but when it came to our lives, these men would show no mercy. I was certain only one would probably make it out alive. Andronica was not the strongest fighter, depending on poisons and arrows to take down her contracts. Garnag would need to stay alive long enough to move the Night Mother and get her back to the Cheydinhal Sanctuary if he even made it out of this small space.

Alisanne was a decent mage and decent in sword place, but these men were trained to track and take down Dark Brotherhood members so she would not last long. I knew I wouldn't last long either even with the vampire blood running through my veins that Vicente gifted me all those years ago. I was good, but daedra were predictable and one could easily pick out their weaknesses while men were dangerous and unpredictable. My thoughts then fell to my daughter, the last thing I had of the man who I loved more than anything in the world: Lucien Lachance.

Even though her face was stern, I could tell she was terrified just as everyone else was. Being half-vampire already, her lifespan was extended though not immortal and she was the only thing I lived for anymore. Divines, I was ready to die shortly after Lucien was killed, but I postponed it until after the Oblivion Crisis was dealt with and by then I learned I was pregnant. I was more than surprised with the fact Thorain even survived long enough for me to notice I was pregnant with the amount of fighting I was doing.

We were all startled by the loud crash as the entrance was broken in. Andronica left Garnag to start hauling the coffin out the back entrance that hopefully no one knew about since no one but the Listener knows of it. All who knew of its existence were in the room. She moved past us and crossed blades with the first soldier that came storming in. Alisanne readied her flame spells and I glanced back at my daughter, drawing her bow back with such grace. Alisanne lit one of the soldiers on fire that came too close to Andronica. Garnag grunted from behind us as he hefted the Night Mother's coffin into the passageway. A few perfectly aimed arrows flew past mine and Alisanne's heads, missing Andronica and piercing the throats of the unfortunate soldiers that Thorain targeted.

"Andronica!" Alisanne screamed as the woman let out a blood-curdling scream. Her arm was sliced clean off.

In her moment of distraction, the soldier she was fighting sliced his large claymore down just about slicing the woman in half. "You bastards!" Alisanne screeched, rushing forward to take down the soldier.

"Alisanne!" I shouted after her, my dagger clutched in my hand. A soldier rushed me, swinging his broadsword to cleave my head from my shoulders. Swift movement on my part caused the broadsword to swing over my head barely slicing a few hairs from it. I flipped the dagger around and thrusted it up into his stomach, tearing to the point where his internal organs nearly spilled out.

Alisanne's death was not quick when a mage we didn't realize they had slammed her with a fireball. She was still alive when she burned, screaming from the agony of it.

"Thorain!" I shouted over the fight. "Follow Garnag!"

"But mother-"

"I said follow Garnag! Go! Now!" I grabbed her arm roughly and shoved her into the passageway. Garnag's battleaxe came swinging over my head, striking down several soldiers at once.

I would never see my daughter again.

Garnag's face received a blow from a sword, his eye would surely be lost. "Garnag, go. Protect my daughter," I ordered.

"But... Mahariel-"

"Please." I blocked an on coming strike and kicked the soldier right in the stomach, sending him back into several of his comrades. "You're the only one with the strength to drag that coffin. Go."

With several more injuries, Garnag limped into the passageway. I kicked the passageway lid closed just as I could hear Thorain screaming for me. I was severely outnumbered, but at least I could buy them some time. All I cared about was my daughter getting out. I didn't even care if the Night Mother made it - if Thorain made it, I could die happy.

 _Sithis will be with the child. As will Lucien. As will you._ I heard the Night Mother whisper in my mind. I could have laughed: the old crone finally said something meaningful to me.

Glancing down at the dagger gifted to me by Lucien - the Blade of Woe - I glared at the soldiers standing in front of me, waiting to see what I would do. "You will not pass while I still breathe."

Others would describe what occurred next as a cornered animal making a last stand which wouldn't be far from the truth even as I was driven to my knees. Within moments, I had a sword against my neck and I stared down the man who would behead me, his face curled into a snarl probably over the deaths of his friends that I had taken down with me. "Pray to your gods, murderer," the man cursed, spitting upon me.

Straining my ears, I could no longer hear Thorain's screaming. She had gotten out. Looking up at the man, I smiled. "I don't need to."


End file.
